WEDNESDAY NIGHT, PADRES 2, REDS 1 AT PETCO
In the heart of downtown San Diego, Petco Park is so nice that it almost makes you forget about the shameless corporate sponsor for a name. Downtown San Diego is actually really nice, I was a little thrown off by the bailbonds place nextdoor to the check cashing place, even at one point calling downtown SD a "ghetto in denial" but as I got close to the stadium I realized it is actually really nice. There are trolley's available to go to the stadium from the various parking structures but for whatever reason it was way to complicated to figure out, so the ten minute walk was made instead.

The park itself is really nice. I'm a big fan of the Western Metal Supply Company building in left field. I like the way the park plays too. The gaps are nice and deep, which is definitely a change of pace from the way most of the newer parks are being built. Despite how "impossible" it is to hit a homerun, BRIAN GILES managed to hit one in the first-inning. The air definitely got cool as the night progressed, but once it gets deeper into summer that air off the ocean shouldn't be as cold or heavy.

DAVE MILEY (yes, apparently he's the manager for the Reds) made a move that I completely disagreed with, even though it sort of worked out. Down 2 to 1 in the top of the 7th, Corey Lidle was leading off. Lidle had a really low pitch-count (in fact he only threw 85 pitches in 8 innings), but with OTSUKA (who lowered his ERA to 1.00 Wednesday night) and TREVOR HOFFMAN coming in, letting Lidle lead off against SCOTT LINEBRINK is foolish. There is a big difference in that situation between being ahead a run and being behind a run. As I voiced my disgust for Miley's decision to let Lidle hack, wouldn't you know that he lined a single to right-field. This goes back to my belief that just because a move works, doesn't mean it is the right one. The next batter hit into a double-play, so perhaps the Baseball Gods were trying to send a message to the Cincinnati manager.

Is anybody else amazed by Trevor Hoffman? The guy lives in the mid 80s now with his fastball and continues to blow Major League hitters away with it because of his changeup. He pretty much only throws a fastball/change combination, but it just makes hitters look ridiculous a lot of times.

In conclusion, Petco Park is nice and in the heart of downtown San Diego. Don't get tricked into thinking that it's 5 miles away from Tijuana like some people do, because the park really can be difficult to see sometimes.